Death toll could be in hundreds

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – There is still no official death toll from Papua New Guinea’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake, but as accounts of the damage start to filter through fears are growing that it could be hundreds of dead rather than dozens.

Many of the casualties are being attributed to landslides, others to collapsed buildings.

The quake triggered many big landslides which have cut off access to hundreds of remote villages in the region.

This has frustrated attempts by national and provincial disaster officials to reach most affected communities in the four worst-hit provinces.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, has declared a state of emergency for the Highlands earthquake disaster areas in Hela, Southern Highlands, Western and Enga Provinces.

O’Neill said over US$140 million had been approved for relief operations and to restore services, as well as the formation of an emergency disaster restoration team and the establishment of a restoration authority.

O’Neill said Monday’s earthquake was an unprecedented disaster in the Highlands Region and the appropriate response was being undertaken by the national government.

He said the declaration of the state of emergency expedited the restoration of essential public services including healthcare services, schools, road access, airports, power and communications facilities.

The prime minister said an Emergency Disaster Restoration Team will now manage and co-ordinate all restoration activities working with provincial authorities.

“Cabinet has further approved the establishment of a Restoration Authority that will manage long-term reconstruction efforts over a four-year period to fully restore normalcy,” he said.

The prime minister said relief efforts are already underway, and further assessments provided to focus operations to areas in need.

“Members of the PNG Defence Force and disaster officers were dispatched to the affected areas immediately following the earthquake, and are working with provincial authorities, particularly with the governors of Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces,” he said.

- PNC sources